Column by Robert Weibezahl

Unlike her prolific husband, E.B. White, Katharine S. White wrote only one book, yet she left a decisive and enduring mark over the course of her 34 years as an editor at The New Yorker, shaping the distinctive voice of the magazine and shepherding the work of many of the greatest writers of the 20th century. Her one book, Onward and Upward in the Garden, was not published until two years after her death in 1977, and is edited and introduced by her husband. Comprising 14 gardening columns written between 1958 and 1970, it is a charming, idiosyncratic, opinionated, informative and, at times, humorous paean to the amateur pursuit of horticulture. It returns this month in a new edition after a decade out of print.

Column by Robert Weibezahl

Novelist Gail Godwin has chosen an unusual conceit for her new book, Publishing: A Writer’s Memoir. As the title suggests, Godwin—best known, perhaps, for the National Book Award finalist A Mother and Two Daughters—has shaped her memories not so much around her personal life or even the writing life, but largely around her experiences within the world of publishing. It is an industry that has changed dramatically since Godwin brought out her first book in 1970, and she has ridden its ups and downs, not always suffering fools gladly.

Column by Julie Hale

Three of our favorite books of 2013 are now available in paperback, including Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's astounding third novel. These books are guaranteed to delight and spark discussion in your reading group.

Audio Column by Sukey Howard

In August 2008, Amanda Lindhout was kidnapped by Somali militants and held for ransom. It was 460 days before she and her Australian companion Nigel Brennan were released. A House in the Sky, written with Sara Corbett, is her account of what she endured—and how she endured it. It’s a powerful story of captivity, survival and human resilience, told with honesty and clarity and...

Audio Column by Sukey Howard

You’ll be swept into The Son, Philipp Meyer’s brilliantly crafted, multigenerational saga that swirls through the history of Texas from pre-Civil War days to the present. Told in three alternating voices, this compellingly complex narrative begins with Eli, the McCullough clan’s patriarch and most intriguing member. Captured in 1846 by the Comanche raiders who slaughtered his...